Doctors saw attack, aided victims

Feb. 14, 2013
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Written by

Cameron Miculka

Pacific Daily News

Doctors at scene: Dr. A.J. Smith, in green scrubs, and Dr. Charles Flowers, in blue scrubs, were among the bystanders in Tumon Tuesday night when a man driving a Toyota Yaris hit pedestrians, crashed into the ABC Store in The Plaza by the Outrigger Resort Guam, then began stabbing people, seemingly at random. Rick Cruz/Pacific Daily News/rmcruz@guampdn.com

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A night out in Tumon for a local doctor turned into a nightmare Tuesday after he witnessed a man crash into an ABC Store in Tumon and then stab tourists in the area.

Two were killed and 12 injured in an assault that started down the road, at SandCastle Guam, according to authorities.

Dr. A.J. Smith, an ophthalmologist with Island Eye Specialists in Tamuning, said he was near the Outrigger Guam Resort with a colleague, Dr. Charles Flowers.

Smith said when the car crashed into the store, several bystanders thought it was an accident. About 30 seconds later, Smith said, the driver leapt out of the car with two or three knives and attacked the nearby crowd.

"Everybody that was in the immediate area froze. Those of us farther back, we ran," he said. "We were so freaked out."

The man was later identified by police as Chad De Soto, 21, of Tamuning. He was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and eight counts aggravated assault. He's being held on $2 million cash bail.

Stunned crowd

Smith said when he first saw the knives, he was stunned.

"I literally couldn't believe it," he said.

Smith said he saw two or three victims who suffered minor injuries, and that several people tried to surround the driver.

Soon after, he and Flowers were approached by people looking for doctors, who were saying, "We have some people dying."

Smith said he saw three people lying in a pile: an elderly woman, who appeared close to death, and two younger women, one of whom had sustained serious injuries, he said.

Two women died in the attack, according to court documents -- Kazuko Uehara, 81, and Rie Sugiyama, 29.

He said among the injured was an infant, being held by another victim, who he estimated to be in her 30s.

"There was a pretty huge (cut) in the baby's face," Smith said.

Fortunately, said Smith, the baby's condition was stable. He said a bystander was able to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. By the time he got there, Smith said, the wound was dry.

He said passersby started to perform CPR on several of the victims, but Smith said he stopped them, telling them CPR could actually hurt some of the victims.

Smith said police arrived about five minutes after the assault started, though it felt to him as if it took longer.